Australian Censorship Boss Has His 'Series Of Tubes' Moment

from the spams-through-the-portal dept

A few years back, you may remember, that former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens got a lot of attention for his infamous description of the internet as "a series of tubes," as part of a longer talk that repeatedly highlights that he didn't quite understand what he was regulating:

Given the number of folks in Australia who have been submitting this video of Australian Minister for Broadband, Stephen Conroy (the guy who wants to censor the internet in Australia), it appears that many down under feel that Conroy has had his "series of tubes" moment by talking about how computer users are getting "infected by these spams, or scams, that come through, the portal"

To be fair, in both cases, these politicians are extremely inarticulate in trying to make their point. Everyone has those moments. However, it does seem like this "spams or scams through the portal" quote is starting to go viral. When it comes to politicians who are supposed to be regulating the internet, you would think they'd sound a bit more prepared for not sounding like they have no idea what they're talking about.

Communications Minister

well-intentioned, ill-informed

... and of the state, so inherent doom looms for citizens.

This may not be an intentional power grab, but just as setting filesystem permissions wide open "so the app will work" can lead to serious abuses and security violations. And, you know, disastrous results.

Re: Re: well-intentioned, ill-informed

Easier this way

In business it is so much easier to supervise something if you are clueless about the subject. If you are lucky you can make a few big, flashy changes that impress your superiors (who are also clueless of course). Hopefully you have a few people working for you who can help you paper over the disasters. This can't go ion forever, but it can go on long enough for you to get promoted out of the job before all the wheels come off. Repeat the process and you will be successful in modern corporate structure where only the short term matters.

A Portals not a Portal.

Hi,

Let see, Last I heard portal, a good 12 years ago, in relation to computer tech, it was a reference to a computer screen, I don't particularly remember it in reference to the net at all...
Similarly, you can't be infected by spam.. or scams.. thats silly. thats like saying youve been infected by mail, and a bad car dealer..

The guy is an idiot. and I love that quote.. It's going to last longer than he does.

So Portal, not a turn of phrase, here atleast. I think he just honestly believes that the internet is magic, and that we can use other magics to control the all powerful net magics, and that knowledge flows through these channels of power, and comes out of the network and into your computer, to be interpreted, and is then displayed on it's magical viewing portal..

The worst part (of Conroy's statement)is not the "spams and scams through the portal". Although inept, it's understandable. The "up to 20,000 regularly getting infected" is the problem. Where did that number come from? What's the rate? Clearly he made it up and is lying to us. Shame on him.

Sometimes I try to imagine just how the average non-technical person sees the internet and computers. Usually it gets triggered by comments like this, or watching "24". "24" always has computer shit be so essential to the plot but it's always the craziest stuff. The way the internet is portrayed on 24 makes me think of some crazy dreamworld like the mages go to in Dragon Age, combined with the streaming numbers of The Matrix.